Itn'asa
by Ko-chan to Ya-chan
Summary: It's been three years since Atem returned to the past. On the anniversary of his return, a lone figure knelt at the collapsed entrance of the Wdjat ruins, tracing patterns in the desert sand. A/YYxY
1. Those Who are Left Behind

Ah, dammit. Well, I _was_ editing more "Mou Hitori," but then a stray thought got tangled up with cosplay plans and this plotbunny was born. I thought about just leaving it there for someone else to grab, but no one's bothered to with any of the other ideas I've left out before, and I _really_ want to read this one. Ah, well. I suppose I'll just have to entertain myself.

Also, to answer your questions preemptively, "Itnása" means "be forgotten" in Egyptian Arabic.

Now, without further ado…

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**Disclaimer:**

Yu-Gi-Oh copyright Kazuki Takahashi.

Hagane no Renkinjutsushi/Full Metal Alchemist copyright Hiromu Arakawa.

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**Itnása**

**Prologue: Those Who are Left Behind  


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**

Yuugi worried his lip, clutching desperately at the fabric over his heart. His other self was leaving him, called back into the past as he looked on helplessly. It felt like his soul was on fire, crying out in anguish as he watched his darkness melt away in the blinding light of the tablet's doorway. He couldn't leave. Not like this... Not without any chance of him coming back. After all they'd been through, there was no way he'd consent to being separated.

As the gateway slowly began to seal itself, he clenched his fists and set a pair of fiercely determined eyes on his goal. Wresting himself from the comforting arms of his friends, he charged forward, right arm stretched toward the small sliver of light. He was nearly there, just a few more feet and he could slip through. Crouching slightly, he prepared to leap through, but found himself thrown bodily to the ground as something slammed into him.

Gritting his teeth, he lifted his head from the worn stone and clawed at the toned arms wrapped around his waist.

"No! Let me go! The door is almost- "

His heart leapt to his throat as the light dissipated, leaving nothing but the carved surface of the ancient tablet. He was gone.

"No… _NO!!_" he cried, struggling against his captor.

He lashed out, ignoring the tingling pain in his elbow as he felt the arms loosen. He scrambled out of reach, crawling the last few feet to the tablet, ignoring the commotion behind him. Tears streamed down his cheeks as he beat his fists against the weathered surface, willing the portal to reappear.

"Take me with you!" he screamed, fighting off a hand that gripped his shoulder. "Don't leave me behind! Atemu!"

There was an ominous rumble, and sand spilled in through the cracks of the ceiling as the whole chamber began to shake.

"Yuugi!"

"Yuugi, come on! We have to go!"

Two pairs of arms grasped his, roughly jerking him away from the platform. He strained against them, eyes trained on the crude hieroglyphs carved into the stone.

"_No!_" He rasped, throat raw and choked by tears. "Let me _go!_ Atemu!"

They dragged him from the chamber, dust and debris raining down on them as the ceiling collapsed. He tried to break free, but as the walls caved in behind them, all strength left his fragile body. Numb, he allowed them to pull him up the stairs and out into the desert twilight. He fell to his knees, cool sand filling in the gaps between his limp fingertips.

As the entrance to the Wdjat temple crumbled before his eyes, he felt his heart break.

"_MOU HITORI NO BOKU!!!_"


	2. Void

So I put together this huge notebook of reference material and notes for this fic, and bought two research books specifically for this story. It's kind of taken over my life. XD

Anyway, I've got quite a bit of it planned out, so now I just need to write the chapters. It won't go anywhere near as quickly as scribbling the notes has been, but here's hoping they're interesting enough to hold your attention despite possible time lags between chapters.

* * *

**Disclaimer:**

Yu-Gi-Oh copyright Kazuki Takahashi.

Hagane no Renkinjutsushi/Full Metal Alchemist copyright Hiromu Arakawa.

* * *

**Itnása**

**Chapter I: Void****

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**

Five weeks had passed since the ceremony. Jonouchi healed quickly, brushing off Yuugi's quiet apology for his behavior. Although Yuugi and his friends had returned to their ordinary, mundane lives as seniors in high school, it had become painfully obvious that the teen wasn't taking the Pharaoh's absence well. While the others grew increasingly nervous and excited about entrance exam results and the graduation ceremony, Yuugi's grades began to slip, and he became increasingly withdrawn.

Although he still associated with his friends, he began declining their invitations, excusing himself on the grounds of pre-final fatigue. He ate less, sometimes skipping meals altogether, and gradually gained a worn, tired look about him. Concerned by his behavior, his friends often went out of their way to check in on him, and were alarmed when Sugoroku divulged that Yuugi had developed chronic insomnia.

One day, Anzu confronted him about it.

He stiffened, but gradually closed his dulled eyes and sighed. "I… it's nothing, really. Just stress, I guess. I've fallen behind in the reading because of everything that's been happening, so I've been trying to catch up."

The brunette frowned. "I know that's not all of it, Yuugi. I mean, just look at yourself!"

She gestured to his thin frame, noting that the black tank seemed overly large, hanging awkwardly from his body, and the buckle wrapped around his neck had been tightened one notch further. "You haven't been eating, you're too pale, and you keep pushing yourself until you pass out from exhaustion! I don't care how studious you are, there's no way you'd kill yourself over something as insignificant as final exams!"

Her eyes softened as she stepped forward, embracing him. "We all miss him, Yuugi, but you can't go on like this… It's obvious how much pain you're in, and it breaks our hearts to see you this way."

She ran a hand through his hair, caressing the base of his skull. "Please, let us help you."

He leaned into her chest, head buried in the nape of her neck. "I know. I wish you could, but I just… can't feel much anymore. It's like all the color's gone out of the world."

Her eyes widened, then focused on the boy in her arms, vision blurred by tears. "You… you loved him, didn't you?"

The teen remained silent, but Anzu felt his body quivering with suppressed emotion. She clutched him desperately, tears dripping down onto the navy fabric of his uniform.

"Oh, Yuugi… I… I'm so sorry…"

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~*~

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Anzu never told the others about that day. She took it upon herself to look after her heartsick friend, reminding him to take better care of himself, and spent most of her time in his company. Of course, this led to rumors that the two were romantically involved, but she paid them little mind. She had more important things to think about.

The knowledge of Yuugi's feelings had taken some getting used to, but after a while, she decided it didn't bother her. It made sense, actually, given how close they had been, and Yuugi had always been rather effeminate. Watching him struggle to regain some semblance of meaning in his life made her realize that whatever she had felt for the Pharaoh, it was nothing compared to his own feelings. Atem had been his whole world.

As winter melted into spring, Yuugi's health began to improve. The dark rings under his eyes had lightened, and his skin was no longer the sickly gray hue it had been. Anzu was proud of his progress, and planned to surprise him with tickets to the local gaming expo to be held the following weekend. When the date arrived, however, she was welcomed inside by an anxious Kyouko.

"M-Mrs. Mutou," she gasped, placing a comforting hand on the woman's shoulder. "What's wrong?"

The raven haired woman nodded gratefully, turning her gaze to the stairs leading up to the apartment. "Thank you, Anzu. I… It's Yuugi… He won't come out of his room. I've tried to open the door, but he's locked himself inside."

She bit her lip, closing her eyes as she pressed a slim, delicate hand to her mouth. "I… He was doing so much better! I don't know why he's…"

The woman collapsed, sobbing quietly. Anzu knelt before her, offering a reassuring smile. She wasn't sure why Yuugi had suddenly taken a turn for the worse, but she would do everything in her power to find out.

"Would you like me to try?"

Kyouko sniffed, brushing away her tears with the hem of her sleeve. "Yes, perhaps that would be best. The two of you are so close… I can only hope he's more willing to speak to you, Anzu."

She rose, dusting off her long skirt and avoiding the brunette's gaze. "Forgive me, you shouldn't have had to see that."

The teen shook her head. "Don't worry about it. He's your son."

Yuugi's mother smiled faintly. "Thank you. For everything…I'm glad he's found someone as kind as you."

Anzu bowed slightly and turned to the narrow staircase. She tentatively ascended to the second story, stopping just outside Yuugi's door, and brushed her fingers across the nameplate. It seemed so lonely without the scribbled "2" taped in the corner. Taking a deep breath, she knocked quietly.

"Yuugi? It's Anzu…"

She frowned, unsure of what to say.

"I… your mom told me you were up here." Pressing her hand against the door, she asked gently, "May I come in?"

The room beyond was silent, but Anzu waited patiently until she heard a small click. She slowly turned the handle and entered, casting her eyes about the darkened room. Photographs littered the desk, spilling over onto the carpeted floor. She crept close enough to inspect one and felt a sharp pang of loss. Willing away the well of emotion that bubbled up inside her, she picked her way to a bundle of blankets on the bed. Seating herself on the edge of the mattress, she placed a hand on the boy's shoulder.

"Yuugi?"

He didn't respond. For a moment, the brunette wondered if he hadn't heard her. She leaned over to peel back the covers from his face, but he pulled away from her, rolling over to face the wall. She sighed, returning her hand to her lap. There was nothing she could do if he didn't feel like talking, but she hoped her presence was of some comfort to him. He must have wanted her here, she reasoned, otherwise she'd still be standing on the other side of the door.

After a few minutes, she stood from the bed and wandered over to the desk. Ignoring the tightening in her chest, she picked up a photo, fingertips smoothing over hardened features and crimson eyes. The silence became tense, and she glanced at Yuugi's still form, unsure of whether to continue. When there was no sign of movement, she returned to the photographs, gathering them together before moving to the ones on the floor.

"It's his birthday."

She froze, hand outstretched as she knelt on the carpet.

Yuugi shifted, his tired voice muffled by the comforter. "March 18th…"

He turned his red rimmed eyes to Anzu, smiling sadly as tears rolled silently down his flushed cheeks. "He's seventeen today."

Anzu retracted her hand, turning her gaze to the floor. Closing her eyes, she clenched her fist, fighting down the flood of memories.

After a moment, she took a deep, shuddering breath, and reached for the next photo.


End file.
